Benjamin fltanklin pike



B. F. PIKE.

PIRE ESCAPE.

(No Model.)

uws pt. 5, 1.882.

Harney INVEWTOR felge/771007@ 222236' i x p efgW/J M f lI f ,1. lll.. 4 i I.|. lld *l l l l UNHED STATES PATENT narnia..

BENJAMIN F. PIKE, OF LEADVILLE, COLORADO.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,723, dated September 5, 1882,

\ Applieation mea May 8,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, BENJAMIN F. PIKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leadville, in the county of Lake and State of Colo.- rado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in that class of fireescapes permanently secured to a building over a door or window and operated by ropes and cords; and the object thereof is to provide such a tire-escape that will be simple in its construction, quickly and effectually operated in case of re without loss of valuable time, and is at all times ready for use, and will not get out of order, but is capable of ready adjustment at the moment needed. These objects I attain by the constructionsubstantial] y as shown in the drawing, and hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents a shaft, journaled in brackets B, securedto the frame of a window or doorof a building. To this shaft are connected wire ropes C, the free ends of which are suitably secured to a seat, D, said seat having attached to its under side a guy-rope, E, for the purpose of drawing the seat away from the building to avoid the iames and steady the said seat in its descent. IIhe ropes O wind and unwind upon the shaft A between a brake-pulley, F, and guides a, b, and are provided with hand-holds G at a sufficient distance above the seat D to allow of the passenger or passengers holding upon the seat when drawn out away from the building.

A brake-cord, H, one end of which is made fast to the frame of the window or door, is carried over and under the brake-pulley F, and its free end allowed to hang`down near the base of the building, this brake-cord, to-

gether with the pulley, acting to regulate the speed and distance of descent of the seat.

Attached to the shaft A, and winding and unwindng thereon between the guide a and a similar guide, c, is a hoisting-rope, I, which l is automatically wound up on the shaft as the seat descends, and when the said seat is to be raised this hoisting-rope is pulled from below, thereby causing the shaft to revolve and wind up the ropes C, to which the seat is connected.

Should a building provided with a lire-escape such as has been described be on fire, those persons on the upper iloors, when cut 01T by the llames or smoke from the ordinary means of egress, would naturally seek the windows or doors to which this fire-escape is attached, and be readily lowered to the ground in numbers according to the width of the seat, in the following manner: A man holds the brake-cord to prevent the seat descending while the passenger or passengers are being seated. When the passenger or passengers have been seated, and have lirmlygrasped the hand-holds, the seat is drawn out-clear of the flames that may be issuing from the building in its downward course by means of the guyrope, the speed of the descent being regulated by the brake, said guy-rope and brake being operated from the pavement. While the seat is descending the hoisting-rope is automatically wound upon the shaft, and the seat, after being discharged of its load, quicklg.T raised again by simply pulling down lon the said hoisting-rope. Thus it will be readily seen that two men, one operating the guy-rope and the other the brake, can lower any number of persons from the upper stories of a burning building in a comparatively short space of time.

' In case of persons in the building being suffocated by smoke, or where there should be invalids unable to reach the escape, a man can be hoisted from the ground to go to their rescue, also, remen can more readily get to the place where the fire is burning and carry their hose and other implements up quicker than by having to wait for a ladder to be raised. Especially is this an advantage where buildings are of great height and the ladders too short to reach the story where the fire may be burning.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a fire-escape, the shaft A, journaled in IOO brackets B,attached to the frame of a window In testimony that'I claim the above I have or door7 and provided with guides a b c, and hereunto subscribe my name in the presence brake-pulley F, in Combination with the ropes of two witnesses.

G, seat D, guy-rope E, brake-oord H, and hoist- BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PIKE. in g-rope I, all constructed and armn ged to i Witnesses:

operate substantially as and for the purpose JAMES N. TEMPLER,

set forth. GEORGE L. HODGEs. 

